Roof bow for highway vehicles



March 7, 1950 BLACK 2,500,021

ROOF Bow FOR HIGHWAY VEHICLES Filed Nov. 15, 1945 0 I w {V Patented Mar. 7; 1950 I i ROOFP'BOWEFDR HIGHWAY VEHICLES I James 3'. BlackfCincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Trailrnobile Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corpoi'ationoflDclaware Application November :15, 1945, SerialNo. 628,699

X 7'Claims. (Cl. 296-137) OFFICE Thisinvention relates to'roof bows (for highway vehicles such as trailers, trucksvand .thelike, and is particularly concerned with an improved type of structure bymeans 10f which it is possible to positioning on a vehicle in which the walls'have spread and one in which the spreading can'be corrected in a simple but very effective manner. Another object has 'beento provide aroof bow obtain a maximum degree of strength and efllconstruction in which a p rtion of the construcciency with a minimum of effort in removal and tion is built into the upper flange of the wall replacement of the device. of .the vehicle at certain selected and spaced In trailers and trucks of the open-topltype it pointseand only a portion'o'ff the entire ro'oflbow has been conventional to provide a plurality-of unit is removable. roof hows extending transversely across the top Another .object hasjbeen to provide a'roofbow 1; ,spaced wings for :thedual purposeoi providconstruction incorporating means "for rigidly ing a seat for the conventional canvas top and clamping the opposite'ends of the roof'bow to repreventing and correcting the outwardspread of spective side =wallslto tieithe walls "lirnily together the side walls of the vehicle which invariably octo .rigidiiypthe structure and prevent side sway curs as the result of loading and in the general and vibration. l use ofthevehicle. Other-.andiurtherlob'iectsflandadvantageswill Since open-top vehicles are usuallydoaded from be -apparent .from the further and more detailed the top as by a crane it is important that the description of lthe invention when considered in roof bows be removable selectively in order to conjunction with the drawings in which: permit the loading of heavy and bulky objects Figure Alissa vertical sectional view of a portion such as crates, boxes and the like. After the roof of a roof bow representing .a preferred enibodibows have been reniovedzfor purposes o loa ing mentof the inventionsecured in position on the or otherwisadt is essential that they be .replaced side walloi a vehicle. as otherwise the side wall spread may become ,FigureZ isasectional view alongthe lineal-f2, aggravated to a point where it is diificult to cor Figure .1. v t rect. For this reason, as a practical matter, it Figure 3 is an :end .view .of substantially the is necessary to provideroof bows which can be same portions of the roof :bow .andside wall as removed and replaced withlittle effort as otherho n i Figures l nd Zlookiijg outwardly from wise the operator of the vehicle may neglect to the center of the vehicle. j replace them after removal and adamaging out- "Figure"; is=a topplan iviewof-anumber ofuthe ward spreading ofthe side walls may occur. roof bows of the invention in position on the Another essential in roof bow construction iss the bodynf 1a vehiclathelatter beingshown indotted provision of a certain degree of latitude in l-securlines. ing .the bows imposition, as whenspreading has Figure dis an-endiview similar to Figure 4. occurred the roof bow performs an important -Figure 6 else perspective view of the hostelsfunction inbring the'sicle walls back totheil' ment which forms a ,portion of the ,entire roof original vertical position. It should be noted bow combination. i additionally that in open :top trailer andtruck Referring again to ithe drawings for a further, bodies of the t pe to which the invention has and more detailed vdescription of .the invention application the S Walls tend y nd vi 40 the combination-of elementsziorrning .the roofv brate transversely, bein s bjected c ntinu us bow which constituteslthe,preferred embodiment and substantialsidewise pressures in the operaof the invention are rindicatedgenerally lat Ill, tion of the vehicle. These vibrat o s re trans- Figure -1. The roof bow proper 11345138611 .desmitted to the cross bows which, if rigidly anignated as H andfinclu'des "a, bow member :[2- chored to the walls, will serve to strengthen the which is adaptedtto extend transversely across entire structure and substantially prevent sway theibody of thevehicle iin Lthemanner illustrated and vibration; V in Iligures 4 and "fa -rand a l-bracket [member l3. Dnetoi the objects of thepresent invention has which is preferably Jformed integrally with the been to provide a removablerc'oi bow fornhighway bow member; The bracket wii'i'cludes .a dependvehicles in:wh ichyaparticularly stron and rigid so in leglehaving a cup-lshapedldepression H5 (net construction has been provided in combination fullyshown) termed ;.centra11y;.therein. .Thisleg with iasimplicity of construction ,and ease 0199- is pted to be insertecintoran-op ning 18' pmcitation. formed inthe laterallylextencl ngflupper flange Another object has been tol;vpr.ovide a:.remov-, ll of the 1d ll .of the trailer. ".Ininserted able;roofb wvwh qh r-lpqrmi l reat lat t e 111 1 5,; re nt sweetenwere,

wardly of the side wall and rests on the side wall flange II. This arm I8 also supports the bow member II which as shown is preferably of a hollow pipe construction.

As best seen in Figures 2 and 3, the leg I3 of the bracket member l3 constitutes a saddle or seat into which the end of the tubular bow member is fitted. In the preferred embodiment, the side walls of the arm l8 extend slightly above the widest portion of the bow H and embrace the complete lower half of the bow and part of the upper half. It will be observed that the endwise portion of the roof bow II is fitted longitudinally into the socket and is prevented from pulling upwardly and out of connection with the socket by the side walls of the arm l8 which embrace the upper part of the bow. A firm connection is thus established between the lug l4 and the bow II in the Vicinity of that part of the bow which is subjected to great stress when the lugs are clamped to the side wall.

Prior to the insertion of the leg [4 of the roof bow in the preformed aperture in the flange as just described, a nut l9 has been inserted beneath the side wall flange I! in the space between the inner bent-over portion of the flange and the side wall of the vehicle. forms an element of the roof bow combination may be rigidly secured to the flange as by welding 20 and may be supported at its under side by the turned-over lip 2| of the flange and at its outer extremity by the channel 22 which is rigidly secured between the side wall 23 of the vehicle and the inner wall 24. The upper and outer edge of the nut is curved as shown in Figure 6 and fits snugly against the curved wall portion 25 disposed between the side wall proper 23 and the side wall flange ll. Welding or other securing means may be utilized to hold the nut in position at one or more of these points.

As has been previously indicated, it is contemplated during the construction of the vehicle that a nut will be secured in position at each one of the points where it is desired to attach the .end of a roof bow and will remain as a permanent installation on the vehicle.

In fastening the roof bow in position after the leg 14 has been inserted in the aperture IS a screw 26 is threaded through the nut l9 until it engages in the cup-shapeddepression l in the leg M of the bracket l3 and forces the leg against the inner surface of the nut portion 28 thus clamping it securely in position. As the roof bow is constructed the distance between the depending bracket legs M on each end of the roof bow is exactly that desired for the width of the vehicle between the two inner side walls 24 so that when the screw 26 has been tightened in the cup-shaped depression IS on each side of the vehicle any spreading of the side walls which has occurred will be corrected to the extent that the side walls will be spaced apart the exact original distance. In addition, the roof bow will be secured very tightly in position.

It will be noted that inthe preferred construction described the removable portion of the roof bow comprises only the portion which has been designated as ll including the bow member I2 and two bracket members 13. This element is easy to remove and to handle and there are no moving parts which can get out of order or be come broken during handling.

It will be apparent that the anchorage is not subjectito wear and subsequent looseness after continued use of the vehiclesincethe screw 26' This nut which exerts a clamping action automatically compensating for any wear which may take place.

The entire construction is a simple one but very strong and sure in operation and effective for the purpose intended. Obviously, there are various changes and departures which can be made in the structure deviating from the preferred form herein shown and described without departing from the principles of the invention as set out in the ensuing claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a body for highway vehicles and the like, a pair of side walls disposed longitudinally along opposite sides of said body, each of said side walls comprising a pair of panels in spaced relationship, a channel member disposed along an upper edge between the panels to hold the same in spaced relationship, one of said panels having a curved section extended upwardly along said channel member and spanning the space intervening between the panels to form a top closure therefor, a plurality of fastening blocks disposed in spaced relationship along each of said side walls, each of said blocks having an end shaped to conform to said curved panel section and arranged to be nested and secured between the curved panel section and said channel member respectively to hold the same in fixed relation- Ship.

2. In a body for highway vehicles and the like, a pair of side walls disposed longitudinally along opposite sides of said body, each of said side walls comprising a pair of panels in spaced relationship, a channel member disposed along an upper edge between the panels to hold the same in spaced relationship, one of said panels having a curved section extended upwardly along said channel member and spanning the space intervening between the panels to form a top closure therefor, a plurality of fastening blocks disposed in spaced relationship along each of said side walls, each of said blocks having an end shaped to conform to said curved panel section and arranged to be nested and secured between the curved panel section and said channel member respectively to hold the same in fixed relationship, a plurality of roof bows adapted to span said side walls, said bows including means at opposite ends thereof cooperating with said fastening blocks to secure the bows to said blocks to hold the side walls in spaced relationship.

3. Bracing means for spacing non-rigid side walls of a vehicle and holding the side walls in desired spaced relationship, said means comprising; a rigid roof bow, a pair of lugs projecting laterally and rigidly from the roof bow and spaced to correspond to the desired spacing of the side walls, and a pair of adjustable clamps fixed respectively to the inner top surface of each side wall and engageable with the said bow lugs, whereby when said clamps are tightened on said lugs, said side walls are brought into correct spaced relationship as determined by the spacing of said lugs.

4. Bracing means for spacing non-rigid side walls of a vehicle and holding the side walls in desired spaced relationship, said means comprising; a rigid hollow member adapted to span the side walls, a pair of brackets fixed rigidly to the 'opposite ends of the said member and having laterally projecting rigid lugs, said lugs being spaced apart from one another to correspond to the desired spacing of the side walls, a pair of olampblocks respectively fixed to the top inner surface of the side walls, said clam blocks having apertures adapted to receive said lugs loosely, each of said clamps having a screw threadedly carried thereby in position to enter the aperture thereof and adapted for clamping engagement with an inner surface of one of said lugs disposed in the aperture.

5. Bracing means for spacing non-rigid side walls of a vehicle and holding the side walls in desired spaced relationship, said means comprising; a rigid bar adapted to span the side walls, a pair of lugs fixed rigidly to the opposite ends of said bar, said lugs being spaced apart from one another to correspond to the desired spacing of the side walls, a pair of clamping blocks respectively fixed to the top, inner surface of the side wall, said clamping blocks having apertures adapted to receive said lugs loosely, each of said clamps having a screw threadedly carried thereby in position to enter the aperture thereof and adapted for clamping engagement with the inner surface of one of said lugs disposed in the aperture, said screw being accessible for adjustment from the interior of said vehicle.

6. In a body for highway vehicles of the type having a pair of side walls disposed longitudinally along opposite sides of said body and a plurality of roof bows spanning said side walls, means for bracing said side walls and detachably fastening said roof bows to the side Walls comprising; a

bracket for each side Wall, each of said brackets fixed longitudinally along the top of its respective side wall and constituting a stifiening rib therefor, each of said brackets having an upper ledge and a lower ledge and a pair of clamping blocks for each roof bow, each of said blocks having an aperture, said ledges being spaced to support said clamping blocks therebetween, one block of each pair of clamping blocks fixed between the ledges of one bracket with the aperture of said block exposed to receive the end of a roof bow and the other block of each pair being fixed between the ledges of the other bracket with the aperture of said block exposed to receive the other end of the roof bow, each of said clamping blocks having means accessible from the interior of said body for detachably clamping the end of a roof bow in the aperture in said clamping block.

7. Bracing means for spacing non-rigid side walls of a vehicle and holding said side walls in desired spaced relationship, said means comprising; a detachable rigid roof bow adapted to span said side walls, said how having a pair of lateral, rigidly projecting lugs, said lugs being arranged adjacent the ends of the bow in relation corresponding to the spacing desired between said side walls, flanges extending laterally inwardly from said side walls, said flanges having apertures adapted to receive said lugs loosely, a clamping block fixed to each of said flanges, each of said clamping blocks having an aperture aligned with the aperture in said flange, and defining a lug socket therewith and an adjustable screw adapted to enter said socket for engagement with the inner surface of a lug dis-posed therein, whereby adjustment of said screws into clamping engagement with said lugs causes said non-rigid side walls to be clamped in the desired spaced relationship as determined by the spacing of said lugs.

JAMES J. BLACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 16,925 Jennings Mar. 31, 1857 450,158 James Apr. 14, 1891 780,141 Thomas Jan. 17, 1905 854,405 Christianson May 21, 1907 1,289,265 Richard et a1 Dec. 31, 1918 1,394,798 Speed Oct. 25, 1921 1,491,857 Heintz Apr. 29, 1924 1,506,476 Cullinan Aug. 26, 1924 2,239,318 Haberstump Apr. 22, 1941 2,324,508 Johnson -1 July 20, 1943 

